Obituary of Sophia J. Neal Buckner

abt 22 Feb. 1912

Sophia J. Neal, daughter of Washington and Hettie Neal, was born near Burlington, Boone county, Kentucky, on the 15th of September, 1835, and was brought by her parents to Clark county, Ill., in 1837, where they settled on Millcreek, near which stream she lived narly 75 years until her death on Feb. 22, 1912, aged 76 years, five months, and seven days.  Sophia Neal grew to womanhood and assisted her parents in clearing away the forests, which surrounded them everywhere, and aided and cared for her parents until Dec. 16, 1862, when she was married to Ebenezer Buckner.  Together they lived a long and happy life until Nov. 16, 1907 when Mr. Buckner departed this life, since which time Aunt Soph, as she was familiarly called, has lived at Walnut Prairie.

A child of one of the pioneer families of Illinois, she grew to sweet, loving womanhood, did her portion well, and greatly assisted toward reclaiming from wild and dense forests the present rich and undulating fields which now surround us on every side and which for so many many years has been er peaceful abiding place.  But it cannot be that these rich, undulating fields on earth is our only abiding place.  It cannot be that our life is a bubble, cast up by the ocean of eternity, to float another moment upon its surface and then sink into nothingness and darkness forever.

We are born for a higher destiny than that of earth.  There is a realm where the rainbow never fades; where the brights stars will forever be spread out before us like the islands that slumber on the ocean; where the beautiful beings that here pass before us like visions will stay in our presence forever.

We may feel sad because our loved ones are lost to us, but while we weep and wonder they are wrapped in garments of bright light, and warble songs of celestial joy.

Back to the Obit Page

Back To Clark County